give it up or else

Bill Gates, the white knight of African infectious disease, and one-time founder of Microsucks, now sporting respectable jowls, joined his friend, the long-time illusionist and oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett, to call on all wealthy individuals to give up at least half of their wealth before they die. Or if they should be struck by unexpected death, to do so at the time of their demise.

True to his nature as a second mover, Bill's idea was copied from none other than the queen of mean, Leona Helmsley, who set the example by her generous charitable donation to the welfare of Trouble, the fluffy pooch. Money well spent I might add!

Such is the irony of modern capitalism, that one first has to resort to all kinds of deceit and malice to amass people's sustenance and throw them into poverty so that one can then later come around and rescue them by generous donation. It reminds me of amateur hunters who grow pheasants and other wildlife so they can release them in season and hunt them down.

Surely the eager defenders of capitalism will point out invaluable benefits of this system that has now reduced the wealth over half of our countrymen (and -women) to zero or below. Steve Forbes, whose equally impressive jowls attest to his profound knowhow, has recently come out to teach us how wrong we all are and how unfettered capitalism will ultimately save the day.

Mind you, I have nothing against capitalism. It is, like its cousin democracy, the lesser evil. But like all such things, both natural and man-made, it is a double-edge sword that needs to be kept in check lest it causes more trouble than it is worth. And it is in the latter part -the checks and bounds part- that we have been failing so miserably over the last few decades. We have turned the great engine of wealth creation into an evil machine of wealth-shifting and senseless consumption.

Sooner or later we will all pay the price for this travesty.